Barb Warwick sworn in as Pittsburgh city councilwoman

Newly elected Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Barb Warwick was sworn in Monday morning, filling a vacant seat on council.

Warwick, 45, of Greenfield, handily won a special election in November to fill the District 5 seat left vacant by Corey O’Connor, who now serves as Allegheny County controller.

She launched her campaign after becoming involved in pushing against the proposed Mon-Oakland Connector project, a portion of which Mayor Ed Gainey scrapped in February. Her campaign focused on issues such as safe streets, traffic calming and additional out-of-school programming for the city’s youth.

“We stopped a shuttle road and then we won a seat on City Council,” Warwick said.

Warwick will represent the Pittsburgh neighborhoods of Glen Hazel, Greenfield, Hays, Hazelwood, Lincoln Place, New Homestead, Regent Square, Squirrel Hill South and Swisshelm Park.

Her priorities include a grocery store in Hazelwood, a new playground, traffic calming projects, a new recreation center, improved public transit, additional affordable housing and the completion of the Hazelwood Green development “in a way that includes the surrounding communities and ensures well-paid, family-sustaining jobs for every worker in every building whether they have a college degree or not,” she said.

“We know what’s best for our communities, and we know that building the Pittsburgh of the future doesn’t mean anything if it ignores the needs and the voices of the people living in Pittsburgh today,” Warwick said.

Warwick said her district is unique, because it includes people of various political affiliations, races, ages, ethnicities and socioeconomic statuses.

“It’s a microcosm of the city as a whole,” she said. “I am here to represent all of you.”

Warwick said there’s much work to be done, and acknowledged that she initially felt some nerves at the thought of undertaking the job of a councilwoman. Still, she said, she will work “until every community has what it needs to thrive.”

Though she was sworn in Monday, Warwick has been attending council meetings since she won the election and said she has already started talking with various city departments about projects she’d like to see for her council district.

“I think that no one has any doubt in their mind that you are a persistent advocate for your community,” Councilwoman Erika Strassburger told Warwick.

Related:

• Warwick up big in Pittsburgh City Council special election race

• It's official: Corey O'Connor named Allegheny County controller